AT THE SAME TIME
MICHAEL'S POINT OF VIEW:
The mansion was endless. Every hallway twisted and branched like it was built to confuse us, walls lined with portraits whose eyes seemed to follow us, floors creaking with each careful step. Dust clung to the air, and I could taste the age of the place on my tongue. Xavier led the way, his jaw clenched, eyes narrowed as he pushed open a pair of rusted iron doors. They groaned loudly, the sound reverberating down the empty halls, almost like a warning.
"There." He muttered, pointing.
At the far end of the room, a massive stone archway stood, its surface shimmering faintly with silver light. Runes I couldn't even begin to understand were carved into its edges, glowing softly, almost breathing. But it wasn't open, it was sealed shut, flickering like it was stuck in some kind of frozen moment. And standing directly in front of it was a figure.
